It's a fairly large complex, all underground. You are in the Main Hall, a long room with a high ceiling, that branches off into a number of other rooms.

You were told to wait here, until some sort of initiation was completed.

6 others are in the room with you, roughly lumped into two groups, one with you and your acquaintances, and another consisting of 4 people, two Drow, someone in armor so tightly covering his body that you can't make out his appearance, and a Human.

You have some time while Nicos finishes his character. Socialize among yourselves, or with the other group if you wish.

The hall is fairly nondescript. It is fully 80 feet long from the entrance to the back (that you can tell), but only 20 feet wide. Staring too intently down the hallway for too long gives you a vague sense of vertigo, as if the place may be larger (or deeper) than it appears.

Doors are set at 20 foot intervals along the hallway, and are clearly labeled save the two nearest you (which appear to be locked as well). The 4 closest to you are barracks or common sleeping areas (whichever you prefer to call them), and the two near the end you can barely make out to be the quartermaster's (on your left) and a workshop (on your right).

You notice two holy symbols, one on the human in red robes and one on the armored figure. The one in red robes has opened his robes somewhat, displaying the holy symbol of Urgathoa hanging from his chest. However, the robes themselves bear the pentagram of Asmodeus on the back. It is unclear whether he is a true worshiper of both or simply wears the robes to disguise his true faith.

The man in armor has emblazoned a fanged skull in deep red on his chest and both shoulders. You recognize it to be the unholy symbol of Zura, Demon Lord (or Lady) of Vampires and Cannibals.

You sense no overt hostility from any of them, though each of them occasionally glance your way as if sizing you up and determining your worth as an ally or rival, and you sometimes hear a faint wet smacking sound coming from the armored man when his eyes linger on you for a little too long.

(Un)holy symbols of Urgathoa and Zura make an unusual sight. Unusual enough to create concern. Korak is not afraid of any cultist, but he's wise enough to not underestimate someone who is confident enough to openly displays allegiance to evil gods and demon lords.

While you know that the other three are what they appear to be (two Drow and a Human), the armored man is too tightly closed in his armor to give any sign as to what his heritage may be, though it is quite clear that he is some sort of unnusual race from the glowing orange orbs set inside his helmet.

Also, for everyone, more in-depth descriptions of the characters so you can get a better idea of their capabilities and possible personalities.

There is a Drow female, dressed in robes, cut to be seductive. She is very attractive by most standards and does not seem to carry a weapon. She holds herself with confidence, but there is nothing that really stands out about her appearance besides her unusual race. She occasionally leans over to whisper something in the other Drow's ear, most of which you cannot make out, and that which you can is seemingly just small talk.

The Drow male is wearing well made leather armor, and carries two weapons, though you can't tell exactly what they are, as they are sheathed, you know they are both small weapons easily wielded in one hand. He has a number of pouches and bandoliers strung across his chest, the bandoliers containing vials of unknown substances. While appearing quite handsome from the left side, when he turns his face you can see he has hideous burn scars all along the right side of his face, and appears to be blind in that eye as well.

The man in robes seems lost in thought, though still perfectly aware of his surroundings. The only time he really stirs from his reverie is when the large armored man moves. He seems wary of the man, as he makes a point to never let him out of his sight. Under his robes and other clothing you can see that he wears a sturdy breastplate for protection.

Finally, the man in armor. It's colored jet black except for the skull of Zura on the chest and shoulders, and the small horns jutting from the front of his helmet, shaped to look like a leering demon. The only thing visible to anyone are his eyes, which glow brightly orange inside the helmet, which contributes to his wholly ominous look.

All, save the armored man, have their clothing and armor colored blood red, as if it is some kind of uniform they all wear.

Jorriko Krail arrives, makes note of his surroundings and the others therein, and stands quietly against the wall waiting for further instruction. While he waits he casts detect magic and studies the various auras while formulating possible methods of attack and defense for solo combat or against all the individuals present.

After scanning the magical auras thoroughly, he readies a swift action to (ki) vanish at the first sign of trouble.

Shoulda saved that 20 for later lol. ;) Your "Gentleman" is gonna make a Perception check too in a little bit, or so he said over chat. I'll describe what you (or both of you) see/hear in excess of what Korak saw once he does that.

Dameon stood against the wall quietly, scanning the room occasionally. He keeps his attention the any talking that happens in the room,1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12 his arms crossed in front of him. He wore a black overcoat, similar to that a noble would wear, side from the tattered ends and stains. The overcoat bore the sign of a pirate as a pin on the collar, a "Jolly Roger", skull and cross bones type. The skull was the off white color of bone, with one eye being filled in by a blue sapphire, and the other by a ruby, both were fake.

"Ain't this an unique group..." Says Korak with a smirk on his face. He then proceeds to walk around the room, checking pieces of furniture and whatever else picks his attention. never straying too far from his group.

After everyone assembles, there is a short wait. After a few minutes, a man walks in.

Gray haired and grizzled, wearing well worn armor and boots, he stops and stands with his hands behind his back about 10 feet away from all of you, and looks you over for a moment.

"My name is Vivian. I handle the new recruits. You are here because you've been chosen to join the Mandrigal, though you already knew that. What you want to hear is the benefits, right? 'What do I get out of joining this group?'

The answer is, nothing. You will get nothing from us that you do not give back tenfold. We provide you a place to sleep (for a modest fee), a fence, and work. You work hard, complete missions, and we'll reward you handsomely. Fail us, and you receive nothing. It's as simple as that. On the completion of any job all we ask is a cut of the payment, and we'll get along fine, provide you new work, and maybe, if you prove yourself, some additional benefits. Fail to pay up, and the consequences will be unpleasant for everyone but our Collectors. They get paid well to make rats suffer.

You have complete access to all the rooms you see here. The rooms in the middle are the barracks, and at the far end is the Quartermaster on the right, and the Workshop on the left. You can find most mundane items you can think of here, and some magical ones.

The two rooms nearest the entrance are the Common Rooms, with a job board in each. You will receive your jobs from there on a first come, first served basis. If two people or groups take a job at the same time, we don't care. Settle it among yourselves, as long as it gets done.

That's all I have to say for now. I'll stick around for a few minutes if you have any questions. If not, get out of here and make us some money."

As soon as Vivian stops talking, the other group turns to leave, starting with the red robed human.

The armored man sticks around for a few moments, staring intently at Jo.

The robed man notices he's not coming about halfway to the door.

"Salvador, come on." he says with a hint of annoyance in his voice "We'll feed you on the job, let's go."

Salvador throws one last look back at Jo, almost longingly, and then follows after the robed man.

Feel free to ask questions on things I left unclear, and also to inquire about jobs if you go to look at the message boards.

Dameon took some mental notes on the people in the room. well the is a rag tag group if I have ever seen one...and that's saying something if I'm the one pointing this out. Dameon walked over to that job board that was mentioned getting an idea for what needs to be done.

"We've got a few jobs available right now, low level contracts, should suit you just fine. It's easy money if you've got any sort of skill, though they honestly don't pay all that much. That particular job board is free to anyone who knows where it is, not just official members of the Mandrigal, though there's not too many who can walk in and out of here without joining up. Most of the top jobs are taken before newbies like you can get at 'em. If you prove yourselves worthy, better jobs will become available, either through me or another job board that's available to members only."

Assuming you go to look at it, these are what you'll find.

Job Board:

Thievery/Retrieval:

The Lucky Coin:

Lance Hardwood, the lumber merchant, accidentally dropped his lucky coin (which he believes is responsible for his success in business) yesterday while he was searching his pockets for a mint. He believes that a notable beggar named Rickety Wallace picked it up, and he’s paying you 100 gold each to get it back for him.

Rickety Wallace is a fairly well known beggar around town, and shouldn’t be too hard to find. He’s so named because his knees always creak and shake when he walks around (which is rare, since he finds it hard to travel any significant distance).

Mission Details: Retrieve a lucky coin from an old beggar on the other side of town, name of Rickety Wallace.

Difficulty: Trivial

Shiny Things:

Shiny Things

The lawyer, Jonathan Magpie (of a minor noble family) has been searching for a family heirloom for years: His father’s signet ring, a silver ring inlaid with an image of magpies circling an oak tree. He’s finally managed to track it down.

The ring is in the possession of a sailor named Sammy Two-Fingers (named such because a shark bit off the other three on his left hand). Magpie wants it back, he doesn’t care how, though he would prefer it if there were no bloodshed. He’s willing to pay 100 gold pieces per person, plus an extra 50 per head if nobody dies.

Mission details: Retrieve the heirloom ring from a sailor named Sammy Two-Fingers. Bonus for no bloodshed.

Difficulty: Easy

Assassination

Just Desserts:

A baker, a Halfling by the name of Chyno Halsey, was recently beaten within an inch of his life by a local street gang because he refused to pay for protection, and had his entire day's work stolen by the gang as well. He's decided now to use the money he saved for another purpose.

He wants you to kill the leader of this street gang, a Half-Elf named Franier Ziruyiel. He'll pay 125 gold for proof of Franier's death. If you accomplish it without being seen and/or leaving any witnesses among the gang, he will pay another 150. To facilitate this, he will provide a dose of Drow Poison that you can use to poison the baked goods, which will incapacitate any of the thugs that partake of the food.

" I accept... " as he motion to all the listing. His mind begins to focus on possible outcomes for each assignment individually and as a whole.

his thoughts are as follows:

Is the beggar known to be a combatant, does he have friends, is he part of an organization that would seek revenge if the encounter turns violent, can the job be accomplished solo or with an accomplice/ team. kn local:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26

would 2 fingers be open to negotiation, would it be easier to intimidate him, would it be easier to lift it off of him (possible distractions: bar fight, frame for theft, etc...), where is a known hang out for him, is he connected. kn local:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15

what is known about this gang, or the halfling for that matter, is the reward worth the risk? To many unknowns, act in a support capacity to the rest of the team, their decision.

what would be an acceptable order to carry out these assignments, a convenient route... What is an acceptable time table? Should finish before the other group, don't appreciate their attitudes. expect trouble? The large one and the female, not enough intel to make a propper plan... Hate being over a barrel like this.

Beggar: He's a fairly well known beggar around these parts, as he hangs around near the Plaza Castentas. He's sort of the unofficial mascot of the plaza, most people stop by to talk with him for a little while when they pass by, and throw him at least a few coppers. He used to be a soldier, but that was many, many years ago. He got knocked on the head defending the main gate from a goblin raid and hasn't been the same since, his brains addled and his arms and legs shaky. Any fighting skills he may have had once are long gone now.

---Plaza Castentas: The main Plaza and market of the city, most mundane goods can be found here. It is heavily patrolled by the guards, as most people eventually find their way there. It acts as a hub, with the spokes leading to most other parts of the city, and is built around an enormous fountain.

Two-Fingers: You know a little about Two-Fingers, but just the very common knowledge. Two-Fingers is a reasonable guy most of the time, but he loves to brawl. More than that, he's an avid gambler, and will usually take any bet directed at him, assured in his skills and luck.

Roll for the Assassination job and I'll see what you get, or I can take the 15 from Two-Fingers if you prefer.

I don't like the number of unknown variables associated with the assassination attempt, so I am leaving that one to the group. If it interests them then I will act as needed. I will not voice concern to the rest of the party unless I think it necessary.

Chyno: A moderately successful baker whose shop is set up close to the Plaza, on the spoke nearest the Lower Quarter. A very prideful man, but he does good work, and people often come to him for cakes and catering for special events like weddings. He's definitely good for the money, and stands to gain a lot, both in peace of mind and retained profits should this gang be wiped out.

Gang: It's a minor street gang operating out of the Lower Quarter (southeast of the Plaza, basically the poor district). Their hideout is an old storeroom that Franier uses to buy and sell goods, including one she's lifted from other people. Consists of about a half a dozen people, including Franier.

---Franier: A ruthless man and a thug. Decent with a blade, he often uses the threat of violence to get his way. Not much for finesse and quick to anger. He's the only credible fighter in the group, the rest will barely be a threat to any of you.

So, any of you offers to guard me so I can find information about the mision?

Anyways. Jo leaves the heaquarters of mandrigal and in the city to recolect information about her targets

===
First: She change her hair color to brown and her dress to be the most common posible.
Diplomacy=Mr hardwood:1d20 + 12 ⇒ (9) + 12 = 21
====
Here, she use a short hairstyle (still brown) and her attire ism te one of a courtesan.

Diplomacy=Two fingers:1d20 + 12 ⇒ (4) + 12 = 16
====
Sere she apparent to be a poor person. She become blond with a unnatended hairstyle. Her cloths are of a poor person (an old dirty dress with several small holes).
Diplomacy=Franier ziruyel and his band:1d20 + 12 ⇒ (12) + 12 = 24

my suggestion would be Jo and Dameon deal with 2 Fingers, while Korat and I deal with the beggar. We all meet up at the gangs hideout and slaughter them at dusk, leaving us with all assignments accomplished and us in bed by dark. However I don't talk that much...

Lance Hardwood: A respected lumber merchant known for always paying his debts. He's been very successful in business over the years and attributes it all to a lucky coin he found just before he started his business. It appears to be an old Azlanti coin, though he's not sure where it came from originally, just that he found it on the ground one day as he was on his way to sign the papers finalizing his ownership of the business.

Two-Fingers: See above (what I posted to Jorriko), with the addition that he can be found at the Spewing Wench tavern near the docks, usually with 2 or 3 of his drinking buddies, and that he's not a cruel man (he's known to brawl, but always to knock his opponent unconscious, not to kill).

Franier/Gang: You know what I told Jorriko.

@Byrd. Sounds like a plan. Maybe find a way to say it in as few words as possible?

"I will defend anyone who fights by my side, lady. Prove yourself useful and I might even bring you along the next time I expect trouble."

He then turns to Jorriko.

"You seem to know your way around town, do you have an idea of where we can find this beggar? Actually, scratch that, maybe we should look for the employer and ask him how to identify this lucky coin of his"

Dameon smiles at the two fingers listing and looked to those interested I'd be willing to assist with this job, while in a fight I am not as useful, but perhaps I could distract for a pickpocket attempt. He begins thinking of things that he could say or do to keep sailors attention.

Actually, wouldn't it be safer to have 1 martial character and 1 diplomatic character in each team?

"Perhaps we should split ourselves in 2 teams. But maybe each team should have some muscle as well as some charm. The burly guy here seems rather effective in a fist fight, and definitely capable of finding his way around, but between the two of us, there is nothing even close to a diplomat. So I suggest each of us pair up with either the lovely lady or the charming guy with the stylish hat. It seems like a more balanced approach to our endeavor."

My name is Krail, in case we missed introductions... I have a decent acquaintance with these marks. The beggar is a former soldier, and as such I may be able to appeal to his sense of honor. I may need someone who is a bit more persuasive to join me, though. The sailor is a gambler and a brawler, but not so unruly as such. I believe you (Dameon and Korat) should be able to find a way to relieve him of his trinket, while we talk to the beggar... We can then meet at the bandits hideout at dusk and finish them off together. I would like to be back before the other group... I don't much like their look and tone. I don't trust them to be honorable towards us either.

Settled then. May shadows lite your steps and death weight your blades... he guestures to Dameon I suggest that you appeal to our beggar friend that he is above his current status. Offer him this, and tell him that I will pay as much each month if he will work for me. I will pay double for any usefull information he obtains as well as look into seeking medical attention for his condition. All this in exchange for the coin of interest. hands Dameon 10 gp.

We will need to develop contacts and aids like this in the future if our work is to be of the nature I assume that it is.

You head to the Plaza and almost immediately find Wallace seated by the fountain. He holds out his bowl in shaky hands and pleads "Any help for a poor old beggar?"

He looks up hopefully as you approach him.

Jo and Korak:

You enter the Spewing Wench Tavern with no real incidence. The place is fairly clean and quite crowded for a tavern so near the docks and with such an odd name.

Sammy Two-Fingers is easily found, as he's the biggest personality in the room, loud and commanding, but also friendly with everyone in the tavern. He's currently playing a game of dice at table dead center of the tavern, but he seems to be short a few players.

He waves as you enter.

"Hey, you there! I need a few more hands at dice, you want in? If you don't know the rules, I'll teach you, won't take long. I'm just itching for some CHALLENGE."

Korak is amused with the slender girl's small frame and confident posture. Being almost a whole 1ft. taller than her and almost twice as large, Korak towers over Jo as they walk past the front door of the Spewing Wench Tavern. He clumsily pats her left shoulder before speaking with a boastful voice.

"Hahaha! Do not worry, little lady. It's always better to have a kellid warrior by your side than on your way! I'm sure you'll appreciate having the company of someone capable of cracking skulls (and willing to do so)."

He soon notices the man trying to attract their attention.

"What's this? A game of luck? I was told people enjoyed real challenges around here!"

Ugly and stupid - hey, to note her discomfort you need to bet my bluff with a sense motive :) Bluff:1d20 + 12 ⇒ (5) + 12 = 17
¬¬
====
What my...little friend is trying to say is that we would prefer another kind of game, one were everything is not decided just by mere luck, right? no?. well, I do will prefer something else. Does someboy here know how to play cards?